Privacy Privacy as a personal preference Is there such a thing as too much privacy? What will be discussed  Why privacy is an issue  Dangers of lack of privacy  Databases and data mining  Information gathering  Possibilities of using databases  Some questions for you to think about Privacy is NECESSARY

Why is privacy an issue?  Things people may want to keep private  Anonymity on the internet  Just because! How computers affect information gathering and storage  Faster and easier  New records kept by governments and private organizations  Higher level of information detail  More accessible to more people  Portable in large quantities

Possible social effects of lack of privacy  Generic relationships lacking in trust  Conformity makes it difficult to bring about social change  Lack of independent thinking  Impossibility of democracy Dangers of erroneous and irrelevant information  Nothing wrong, nothing to fear?  Lack of updated information can lead to misconceptions  Irrelevant information can lead to illegal racial profiling, discrimination

What is a database?  Collection of related data; examples  Usually searchable in the form of queries  Makes information storage, retrieval, and alteration fast and easy How databases relate to data mining  Databases are the main subject of data mining  The more information that is stored in a database, the more can be mined  Collective amount of information in databases

Software available for data mining  Huge amount of programs available in US and internationally  Website:  Over 50 programs

How databases enhance information gathering  Concatenation of information  Variety of information  Personal example!! How databases can help and hinder  Nature of database information  Help: Erroneous/irrelevant information problem  Hinder: Time and effort

Broader possibilities using databases  Profiling to make consumer predictions and suggestions; political predictions  Example: Amazon.com  Cookies  Mass information gathering

 Do you think that the broad information found in databases does more to destroy privacy or to help research? Why? Where can the line between the two be drawn?  Is it wrong for companies to use information found in databases to profile prospective clientele?  What kind of control do you think a person should have over his or her own information? How can a person assume that control?  If you had a database of information about your classmates, would you sell it to a company that wanted it to improve their marketing to college-age students?  You work for a bank. What would you do if you were told to use irrelevant information in a database (such as race, gender, religion, etc.) to determine the recipients of loans?